Tree ruled over the top / NCAA fines Stanford for mascot's behavior at Tournament

Michelle Smith, Chronicle Staff Writer

Published
4:00 am PDT, Saturday, August 26, 2006

Stanford's infamous Tree mascot has frolicked its way into trouble once again, this time getting chopped down by the NCAA for bad behavior at "The Big Dance" in March.

The NCAA fined the university Friday for what it termed "multiple violations of tournament policies" after an on-court altercation involving student mascot Tommy Leep and tournament officials as the Stanford women's basketball team participated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver.

The Tree, which has made national news for misbehavior in recent years, has been suspended from participating in the likely event the Stanford women's basketball team reaches the NCAA Tournament again next March. The ban does not apply to the men's tournament.

"I thought this was all settled back in March," Leep said Friday night. "I sort of look at the NCAA like an ex-girlfriend trying to come and take the boom box back or something."

The public reprimand of its front man comes at a sensitive time for the irreverent Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band, whose latest brush with the university is a serious one. The band has been suspended from performing indefinitely amid allegations of destruction of university property.

STANFORD_TREE_004.JPG
The Stanford Tree during Stanford's 74-67 loss to Tennessee at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, CA. 4 December 2005: Photo by David Gonzales/Special to the Chronicle.

STANFORD_TREE_004.JPG
The Stanford Tree during Stanford's 74-67 loss to Tennessee at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, CA. 4 December 2005: Photo by David Gonzales/Special to the Chronicle.

Photo: David Gonzales

Photo: David Gonzales

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STANFORD_TREE_004.JPG
The Stanford Tree during Stanford's 74-67 loss to Tennessee at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, CA. 4 December 2005: Photo by David Gonzales/Special to the Chronicle.

STANFORD_TREE_004.JPG
The Stanford Tree during Stanford's 74-67 loss to Tennessee at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, CA. 4 December 2005: Photo by David Gonzales/Special to the Chronicle.

Photo: David Gonzales

Tree ruled over the top / NCAA fines Stanford for mascot's behavior at Tournament

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Local law enforcement is still investigating whether a group of band members will be charged with vandalizing its on-campus practice trailer -- known as "The Band Shak" -- while athletic department officials decide whether they want the band to play when they open a new football stadium on Sept. 16.

"It is unfortunate timing," said Michael Priest, Stanford's band manager, who said he hopes that the mascot issue will not affect the band's potential reinstatement. "Obviously, that's a concern I have. I think people tend to understand that the tree's conduct is different from that of individual band members doing something stupid and potentially illegal, which is different than the behavior of the vast majority of band members."

Leep was ejected from the March 20 game for dancing in an un-designated area and refusing to leave the court promptly after halftime. The entire incident, including footage of Leep dancing in the Pepsi Arena tunnel while being reprimanded by NCAA officials, was captured on national television by ESPN cameras.

Leep said his on-court routine was choreographed and submitted to the NCAA in advance.

"I guess the officials didn't know that, there are so many of them out there," Leep said.

Following the incident, Leep was suspended for the rest of the NCAA Tournament. Leep's bandmates pinned tree branches to their hats and uniforms in protest as the team played in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight the following week in San Antonio.

Leep took over mascot duties following the firing of Erin Lashnits, who was stripped of her Tree duties for being intoxicated during a men's basketball game in Berkeley, an incident that also drew national attention.

Leep is scheduled to return as the Tree mascot for the remainder of his term, which runs through February. At that point, a new Tree is scheduled to be selected. Priest said Leep's return is the band's "current intent."

"But because we just found out about this suspension and the NCAA decision an hour ago, we haven't discussed the possible options," Priest said.

New athletic director Bob Bowlsby said in a statement Friday that the university will not appeal Friday's NCAA decision and will pay the fine. Bowlsby, who was not yet in the job when either the incident with Leep or the alleged vandalism occurred, also offered an apology.

"We will do everything we can in the future to ensure that everyone representing Stanford University does so in an appropriate manner," Bowlsby said.

Bowlsby said Tuesday that he did not know when the investigation of vandalism charges would be complete or whether the band would be permitted to perform when Stanford opens its $90 million remodel of Stanford Stadium next month.

Women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer said she doesn't believe the incident necessarily reflects poorly on her team, which is expected to be among the best teams in the country this upcoming season.

"But it does reflect poorly on Stanford," VanDerveer said. "The band has always been kind of a free-spirit group, but that night, they showed more of the Tree on TV than they did of our win against Florida State, and that hurts our team."

Recent sour notes

February: The band's Tree mascot is fired for public drunkenness.

March 20: The Tree is ejected from an NCAA women's tournament game in Denver for dancing in an undesignated area and failing to leave the court in a timely manner.

Aug. 5: The band is suspended for allegedly vandalizing its own "Band Shak."

Friday: School fined for "multiple violations of tournament policies" during NCAA Tournament.

Past antics

1986: The band is suspended for two games after some members drop their pants and others urinate on the field during the halftime show at a game against the University of Washington.

1991: In a game against Notre Dame, a band member dressed as a nun conducts the band using a crucifix for a baton. Notre Dame bans the band indefinitely.

2004: At Brigham Young University, the band's five dancers wear wedding veils in a parody of polygamy.